My original career was in education (28 yrs); primarily as a secondary school teacher in Tasmanian High schools & Beverley Boys College (London), a member of the Barrington District Support Team, Statewide Behaviour Management Team, AST3 (Advanced Skills Teacher) and Assistant Principal. I nominated for Latrobe Council in 1994. I was a Councillor for 4 years, Deputy Mayor for 5 years & was elected Mayor in 2003. I was re-elected as Mayor in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011. In 2006 I became the President of LGAT (Local Government Association of Tasmania) for a two year term, and re-elected, unopposed in 2008. Some of my LGAT roles included Chairperson of the General Management Committee, Chief Spokesperson for LGAT on the Premier's Local Government Council, and held a Director’s role on the board of ALGA. I was involved with a number of State, Regional and Local Government Committees: for instance, ALGA's representative on the Federal Ministerial for Ageing Committee. In 2009 I stood for the Legislative Council as an Independent and was elected for a six year term. In accepting the position I was required to resign as LGAT President and also from the Education Department. Unfortunately, with the change in State Legislation in 2014 I was unable to restand as Mayor and after 21 years (12 years as Mayor) I retired from Local Government in October 2014. At my local farewell dinner I was awarded the Lions Club International Foundations Highest Award for Melvin Jones Fellow for Dedicated Humanitarium Service.I was re-elected to the LC in 2015 & 2021 (unopposed) I am also the Independent Member who successfully introduced the Tasmanian End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Act 2021. The 3rd Australian State to do so and Tasmanian the 1st (& only) jurisdiction worldwide which had a unanimous passing (15-0) of its Euthanasia/VAD Legislation. (Phew! 🤗)